Position:Home>Performing Arts> Do you need turntables to be a club and wedding dj? what else do you need?

I do clubs, bars, weddings and events!.

I use computers mainly!. PCDJ red and Virtual DJ are the 2 main programs I deal with!. I have used various brands of equipment and played at many venues!. I have a simple set up consisting of (2) 18'' subs (powered by an amp) and (2) speakers with 15'' woofers & a horn (powered by another amp)!. I use a rack effect unit that boosts the bass when I need it!. I use a desktop computer, a laptop computer and a technics dz1200 cd player!. I have used various mixers but like at least a 3 channel!. With this set up I have played Rap shows (running tracks for the performers), car shows, private parties & weddings!. I have held residencies at 2 clubs (one 5 years and one going on 3 years)!. So this proves you do not have to use vinyl or cd's as you main source of music!.
Now to quickly answer you questions!.!.!.

Do you need turntables to be a club and wedding dj!?
>More professional dance club will have turntables!. I would not use turntables at a wedding!.
What else do you need!?
>Most real clubs will have everything you will need!. You may bring your music or extra needles, headphones!. Bars and smaller clubs may have dj's that use their own equipment, if so you will need a complete setup!. Weddings you will need a complete set up!.
Do you need to scratch cd's!?
>In clubs you may want to have scratch cd's to help spice things up and create your own signature sound!. Weddings you really shouldn't need them!.
When u go to clubs do u just play recorded music
and get the crowd worked up!?!?
>Basically you play a song and beatmatch into another song all night long!. You can work the crowd with the mic if that is your style!. It just depends on the club and style of music you play that will determine how and when you should use the mic!.

So!.!.!.
I would suggest that you look into PCDJ and/or Virtual DJ computer software and practice basic mixing with songs!. If this sounds good then you can build your system by adding a mixer, amp and speakers!. This will start you doing small house parties and playing for friends!. Pick up a few bucks here and there and put it aside for new upgrades to your system!. After you get beatmatching down and develop the basic techniques of speaking on the mic and dj'ing then you can check out the club/bar scene in your area!. Find out if they have any openings during their less busy times (unless you are 100% sure your are good enough!. If you bomb you may never get another chance there)!. Put in a few months doing steady shows while you build a fan base!. Once you get your act going then shop it around and try to get the big spots in the clubs!. Or find a small club or bar and try to start a dj night yourself!. At this point you now have the skills and knowledge to do the job!. You may decide to purchase your own equipment to do your own gigs!. Now that you know what stuff to get to play the genre of music you are good at and/or like!. I am not a big fan of techno and I am not currently trying to battle mix so I do not use turntables!. However I play at places where the crowd may want to here many different styles of music over the course of the night!. For this reason I use MP3s!. This makes it easy to find anysong in seconds without having to carry around a ton of cd's!. Most small gigs and weddings you could get by using a small sound system but I like to have a full sound with subs so I made many purchases over the years to have a system that I could use to play any gig!. I didn't start buying the biggest or the best, just what I needed to do the job correctly!. Oh and don't forget!.!.!. all this equipment means you have to have a truck, van or trailer!.

So that is a super quick idea!. If you have any more questions about anything just let me know!.
james@jamesthedj!.comWww@QuestionHome@Com

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I'm an occasional DJ!. If you're not doing a set at a venue with a built in system you'll need :-

Twin CD players and/or turntables!. You can also DJ from a laptop but I don't (What if it crashes!?) - at best it is a backup device!.

A mixer so you can fade tracks into each other!. Amplifiers and speakers to put the music through so people can hear it!:)

Headphones so you can spool up the next track while one is playing!. MUSIC!

Lighting Systems!. Smoke machines etc

Different musical styles require different skills and equipment!. I DJ rock/metal/alternative - I don't need to be able to scratch or do clever mixing - my skills are more smoothly fading/cutting tracks together, cutting intros out and adjusting the bass/treble/midrange for each track - early and later music and different genres have wildly different equalisations and even volume, so part of it is adjusting the settings so you get a good sound on each track!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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that depends on your local competition, and what you desire to offer!. and what the clubs around you are like!. You may just need a computer, or you may wish to do lights, turntables mixer (weddings need lights, mic, amp and speakers, clubs not really usu have their own)!.

Do you want to go for ultra cool lunge and dance and spin as much vinyl as possible!? Or at least give the appearance (most have no clue)!.

For weddings and the like, no scratching usually!. for most clubs and new DJ's most of the stuff is pre-recorded and they mix it there on request in the computer or from CD!.

really you should start small and see where you can take it rather than blow out tons fo money like a lot of guys only to find out its not panning out!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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